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C
hief Technician Grant poured himself an-
other cup of steaming cawfee and once
more turned his attention toward the CAD
screen. It was late at night, but Grant was used
to working long hours anyway. He preferred to
think when the R&D department was empty and
free of distractions.
The display showed the complex shoulder link-
age he had been working on for the last week.
The new system was supposed to allow a Gears
arm to flex three more degrees off the axis than
the older design, but for some reason it kept
breaking down. Grant was at a loss to solve the
problem. I know its got something to do with
the shock-absorbing sheaths, he mumbled,
But what?" He just couldn' t pinpoint the exact
trouble, to his unending frustration. Perhaps it
was the composite material of the sheath?
Grant modified another parameter with a flick
of his index finger. A tiny sensor embedded in
the workstations surface picked up the gesture
and activated the computer with a barely audi-
ble beeping sound. Grant sat back and watched.
The holographic display slowly changed as yet
another stress simulation was launched.
A computer-generated Heavy Gear formed in
mid-air, suspended about 30 centimeters above
the surface of the holoviewer. It immediately
started runni ng and waved i ts autocannon
about, aiming and firing on other illusory ma-
chines. The simulated shoulder link, oddly vis-
ible through the vehicles imaginary surface,
was glowing a deep, reassuring green.
Come on baby, dont you let me down now. "
For a brief moment, Grant thought he had suc-
ceeded. Then the wire-framed Gear attempted
to fire at an imaginary target to its left. At two
degrees past the axis, the shoulder link abruptly
changed color and snapped clean off, bringing
the si mul ati on to a stop. The computer an-
nounced calmly Sheath failure. Try again?
Grant cursed loudly and glanced at the half-com-
pleted prototype in the hangar just outside his
office. He looked at the production schedule on
the wall display to his left and cursed again. Grant
got out of the small office. He paused in front of
the silent machine. Sorry boy, but I guess youll
just have to watch that shoulder.
The guys in Sales would not be happy to learn
about this.
CHAPTER- 07
119
7.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the generation process for the vehicle statistics used in the game. One does not have to go
through the construction system to play: pregenerated vehicles are provided in Chapter 10. However, to many,
designing new vehicles and testing them is definitely an enjoyable part of the game.
The Silhouette vehicle generation system is quite liberal. It is meant to provide interesting, real vehicle designs
instead of just mere sets of game statistics pulled out of charts and complex formulas. It is based on the concept
that given a certain technological level, one can design a vehicle to almost any specification. There are no artificial
space or weight limits placed on the components: if the vehicle must have a certain piece of equipment, the
engineers will find a way to make it fit even if they have to drill a hole through the hood to let that turbocharger
through...
However, while it is theoretically possible to build a tank that will sport heavy armor and weapons while still
performing like a race car, there is a catch: the cost. That one tank will probably cost more in resources, time
and money than an entire brigade of regular tanks, and since it is so complex, it will probably be riddled with
unavoidable defects (see Lemon Rules, page 130). Guidelines and technological limits are included and must be
followed to prevent such abuses, but one could still build monsters if left unchecked. When technical limitations
are provided, make sure they are respected.
Since this system was created to handle any vehicle type, it is non-linear in nature and does involves some
calculations. These have been broken down into several easily manageable formulas for ease of play and refer-
ence. The trick is to not let yourself be intimidated by the few calculations necessary (see the Roots and Exponents
text, next page).
It is assumed that the reader has already read the rules and is reasonably familiar with them. In any case, all
relevant game terms are fully defined in the Glossary (page 231).
7.2 VEHICLE CONCEPT
This is the first step in designing a vehicle, although it is not part of the construction process per se. Decide what
kind of vehicle you are designing. What is its task? What does it look like? How does it move? What kind of
armament would it carry, if any?
J ot down some statistics on paper (size, speed, weapons, special systems, etc). Remember to ask yourself if a
scout Gear would really be carrying a tank gun, or if a tank could really move at 200 kph on broken terrain.
Remember that the costs increase exponentially, so make sure to use only what you need.
Compare the stat values to those provided for real vehicles. This is called the reality test. Make sure you stay
within the technological limits. Once this is done, you are ready to calculate the statistics of your new design.
DESIGNERS NOTE
Sharp- eyed pl ayers wi l l noti ce that no l i mi ts have been pl aced on the number of weapons and equi pment carri ed by a vehi cl e.
Thi s i s i ntenti onal and i s meant to si mpl i fy the game and the constructi on system.
So what i s preventi ng engi neers from mounti ng twel ve heavy autocannons on a si ngl e Heavy Gear? Nothi ng, except common
sense. After al l , the Gear woul d need a huge engi ne to move i t (possi bl e, but very costl y) and the autocannons woul d have to be
speci al recoi l ess ul tral i ght model s (whi ch means hi gher costs). Anyway, the pi l ot coul d use no more than one or two autocannons
(unl ess he i s wi l l i ng to take a - 12 penal ty on al l hi s acti ons). And j ust watch that Offensi ve Threat Val ue skyrocket!
Remember, nothi ng i n l i fe i s free. Not even payl oad.
One fi nal note: al though thi s system can be used for any ki nd of vehi cl e, the i nformati on needed to bui l d fl yi ng and space- capabl e
vehi cl es has been l eft out for the moment. The adj ustments to the constructi on rul es wi l l be i ntroduced, i n a l ater suppl ement, at
the same ti me as the fl yi ng rul es.
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7.3.1 STEP ONE: CHOOSE NUMBER OF CREW
How many i ndi vi dual s are requi red to operate the vehi cl e?
Large crews i mprove a vehi cl es combat effi ci ency, but they
al so i ncrease expense and vehi cl e si ze. Large vehi cl es often
need si zabl e crews whi l e smal l vehi cl es cannot cram many
peopl e i nsi de. Dont forget that human crew can be repl aced
by automated systems (see Perks, page 144).
Minimum number of crew per ten Size points (or part thereof): 1
Maximum number of human crew for Heavy Gears: 1
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP ONE
Kurt is designing a mass-produced, soldier Heavy Gear to form the
basis of his forces. Since all Heavy Gears are single-man vehicles,
Kurt writes down Crew: 1. He considers adding some automated
systems, but decides against it to keep costs down.
7.3.2 STEP TWO:
SELECT MOVEMENT SYSTEMS
How does your vehi cl e move? Choose one or more possi bl e
movement systems from the fol l owi ng l i st. Each have thei r
own advantages and di sadvantages (see Tacti cal Combat for
movement and terrai n penal ti es). Note that wheel ed vehi cl es
are assumed to be equi pped wi th l arge wheel s and strong sus-
pensi on for rough terrai n and thus are grouped wi th tracked
vehi cl es i n the Ground movement type. Ordi nary wheel ed ve-
hi cl es such as cars general l y have the Poor Off- Road Capa-
bi l i ty Fl aw to represent the si mpl er nature of thei r dri ve sys-
tem (see Fl aws, page 150).
TYPICAL VEHICLE MOVEMENT SYSTEMS
Walker Multi-legged walking vehicle
Ground Wheeled or tracked vehicle
Hover Hoverfan, thrust or magnetically floating vehicle
Naval Conventional water vessels and hydrofoils
Submarine Underwater craft of all sorts
A vehi cl e can have more than one movement system. Many
Heavy Gears have wheel s or treads i n thei r feet to skate al ong
cl ear ground; some ground vehi cl es are ful l y capabl e of oper-
ati ng l i ke a boat (al though they had better be waterti ght; see
Perks, page 144). Few vehi cl es have more than two move-
ment systems, al though i t i s possi bl e to mount more than two
the cost si mpl y outstri ps the added fl exi bi l i ty.
Now choose a top speed for each movement mode i n MP.
Di vi de these val ues i n hal f to obtai n the combat speed of each
movement mode, roundi ng up. To obtai n the vehi cl es speed
i n ki l ometers per hour, use the fol l owi ng conversi on rates.
Al ways round off MP scores.
50 m scale hex MP X 6 = speed in kilometers per hour
Speed in kilometers per hour/6 = 50 m scale hex MP
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7.3 TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC STATS
The following sixteen (16) steps are the generation system proper. In addition to the rulebook, some scratch
paper, a pen and a calculator will also be needed.
ROOTS AND EXPONENTS
Al though Si l houette i s a fai rl y si mpl e rul e system, some math was bound to creep i n. Roots and exponents, for exampl e, were
needed because of the non- l i near nature of the constructi on system. Fortunatel y, most cal cul ators have both the root and expo-
nent functi ons, or at the very l east the exponent functi on (refer to the cal cul ators manual i f needed). If the cal cul ator used i s of the
l atter type, roots are sti l l possi bl e: j ust i nvert the exponent (see exampl es bel ow). The fol l owi ng format i s used throughout the
chapter: squares are exponent 2 and cubes are exponent 3. Hi gher l evel s of exponents are not used.
EXPONENT OF NUMBER = NUMBER
EXPONENT
examples: square of 2 = 2
2
= 2 x 2 = 4 cube of 2 = 2
3
= 2 x 2 x 2 = 8
ROOT OF NUMBER = NUMBER
(1/ROOT NEEDED)
examples: square root of 16 = 16= 16
(1/2)
= 4 cube root of 8 = 8= 8
(1/3)
= 2

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MAXIMUM SPEED TABLE
Walker Sizes 1-7 72 kph/12 MPs
Size 8+ 48 kph/8 MPs
Ground Walker Secondary Mov. 90 kph / 15 MPs
Sizes 1-5 240 kph/40 MPs
Sizes 6-8 180 kph/30 MPs
Size 8+ 144 kph/24 MPs
Hover Sizes 1-3 240 kph/40 MPs
Sizes 4-5 210 kph/35 MPs
Size 6+ 180 kph/30 MPs
Naval Hull 90 kph/15 MPs
Hydrofoil 180 kph/30 MPs
Submarine Sizes 1-3 120 kph/20 MPs
Sizes 4+ 90 kph/15 MPs
These values are the maximum speed possible for new designs. This
is primarily a game balance tool for tactical combat special vehi-
cles can exceed them in a roleplaying setting. The speed values above
are assumed to be under optimum conditions (flat, clear ground/wa-
ter).
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP TWO
Kurt wants his Heavy Gear to have both walker and ground movement
modes. He wants his Gear to have a walking top speed of 42 kph (or 7
MPs) and a rolling top speed of 72 kph (or 12 MPs). This means that
his Gear will have the following top combat speeds: 21 kph walking (4
MPs) and 36 kph rolling (6 MPs). Kurt writes down Combat Speed:
Walking 4 MPs (24 kph)/Ground 6 MPs (36 kph) on one line and
Top Speed: Walking 7 MPs (42 kph)/Ground 12 MP (72 kph) on the
next line.
7.3.3 STEP THREE: SELECT MANEUVERABILITY
Assi gn the vehi cl e a maneuver score. Thi s i s how maneuverabl e
and agi l e the vehi cl e i s. Posi ti ve val ues denote ni mbl eness
whi l e negati ve val ues i ndi cate a sl ower reacti on ti me or poor
turn radi us. Zero i s a generi c average rati ng for Heavy Gears,
but more often than not, other vehi cl es are assi gned l ower
val ues.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP THREE
Kurt wants his Heavy Gear to have an average maneuverability, so he
writes down Maneuverability: 0.
TYPICAL MANEUVER SCORE
Vehicle Type Typical Maneuver Score
Walker Vehicles +3 to -3
Ground Vehicles +2 to -3
Hover Vehicles +1 to -4
Naval Vessels -2 to -10
Submarine Vessels -2 to -10
TYPICAL VEHICLE
Maneuver Score Typical Vehicle
+3 Very advanced, top-of-the-line Heavy Gear prototype
+2 Nimble Scout Heavy Gear, Dirt Bike
+1 Nimble Heavy Gear, Motor Bike, Dirt Buggy
0 Heavy Gear, Nimble Car, Nimble Hovercraft
-1 Assault Heavy Gear, Car, Hovercraft
-2 Nimble Strider, Car
-3 Large Strider, Truck, Tug Boat
-4 Large Hovercraft, Large Truck
-5 Patrol Boat
-6 Small Naval Vessel or Landship
-8 Large Naval Vessel or Landship
-10 Supertanker
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7.3.4 STEP FOUR: SELECT ARMOR RATING
Choose the Armor Rati ng of your vehi cl e. Even i f you do not
i magi ne your vehi cl e as bei ng armor pl ated, you must sti l l
assi gn your vehi cl e an Armor Rati ng. Thi s represents the sheer
mass of the materi al stoppi ng the damage. Thi s rati ng defi nes
how resi stant to damage your vehi cl e wi l l be. No vehi cl e can
have an Armor Rati ng bel ow 1.
Just l i ke weapon damage mul ti pl i ers, armor progressi on i s
not l i near, that i s, Armor 10 i s not j ust twi ce as strong as Armor
5, i t i s four ti mes as strong. Do not forget that the Armor Rat-
i ng does not onl y represent the thi ckness and angl e of the
armor pl ati ng, but al so the general resi stance of every com-
ponent i n the vehi cl e.
For the mi l i tary enthusi asts, the Armor Rati ng of a vehi cl e i s
rel ated, as per the fol l owi ng formul a, to a very approxi mate
real worl d armor equi val ent i n mi l l i meters of armor- grade rol l ed
steel . As a note of i nterest, most modern tanks have Armor
Rati ngs between 14 and 25 (between 200 to 600 mm equi va-
l ence).
Base Armor Rating = (mm of armor-grade steel)
The number of damage poi nts requi red to produce Li ght Dam-
age, Heavy Damage and Overki l l resul ts are equal to once,
twi ce and three ti mes the base armor rati ng, respecti vel y.
7.3.5 STEP FIVE: SELECT WEAPONS
Choose the weapons that your vehi cl e wi l l be armed wi th, i f
any. Al so, choose the arc of fi re of each weapon. The fol l ow-
i ng tabl e i s an abbrevi ated versi on of the vehi cul ar weapon
secti on. For more detai l about the di fferent weapon systems
and thei r characteri sti cs, the reader i s i nvi ted to refer to the
Weapons secti on (page 132).
Weapon descri pti ons are i ntenti onal l y l eft vague. Onl y the ac-
tual game effects (as i denti fi ed by the weapons code, such as
LAC, LRP/ 24 and so on) are ri gi dl y defi ned. It i s up to the
desi gner to assi gn both name and form to hi s vehi cl es arma-
ment. The actual l ocati on of the weapons has no beari ng on
the game mechani cs agai n, desi gners choi ce.
Dont forget to add ammuni ti on for each weapon. Check the
Maxi mum Ammuni ti on Load tabl e to know how many shots
can be carri ed for each weapon. Transporti ng a l ot of ammu-
ni ti on for a gi ven gun makes i t bi gger and heavi er, rai si ng the
Mi ni mum Si ze requi red to carry i t. For exampl e, a Heavy Gear
(Si ze 6) cannot carry more than 160 shots for i ts autocannon
(Mi n. Si ze 4, +2 for ammo). To add more ammo, the vehi cl e' s
si ze must be rai sed.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP FIVE
Kurt chooses his Gears weapons: a hand-held 25mm Riley M222 light
autocannon (LAC), a shoulder-mounted 52mm RP-109 Pepperbox
rocket pack (LRP/24), and a 44mm Mk IV grenade launcher (APGL).
Three hand grenades (HG) and a vibroknife (VB), both hip-mounted,
will complete the armament. He notes all of these weapons down,
along with their cost. He also adds a few extra ammo packs.
TYPICAL ARMOR RATINGS
Civilian Vehicle 1 to 8
Utility Vehicle 3 to 8
Heavy Gear 10 to 20
Armored Personel Carrier 10 to 20
Large Strider 15 to 30
Tank 20 to 40
Typical Car 2 to 4
Typical 6-wheel Truck 6
T-72 Tank (20th Century) 16
Challenger Tank (20th Century) 22
M1A1DU Tank (20th Century) 25
Battleship (20th Century) 50 to 150
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP FOUR
Kurt wants his Gear to have armor that is comparable to a 20th cen-
tury T-72 tank. After a bit of reflection, he decides to make his Gears
armor just a bit weaker than that of the T-72. Noting that the T-72 has
a base armor rating of 16, Kurt writes down Base Armor Rating: 15
(or about the equivalent of 225mm of steel plate).
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CHAPTER- 07
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HEAVY GEAR VEHICLE WEAPON LIST
Name Code Rating Range Dam. Acc. RoF Ammo (ea. ) Min. Size Special
Anti-Personnel G.L. APGL 29 1/2/4/8 x3 -1 0 0.10 2 Anti-Inf., Indirect Fire, AE=0
Anti-Personnel Mortar APM 95 2/4/8/16 x4 0 0 0.36 3 Anti-Inf., Ind. Fire, AE=0, Min Rg 2
Deployable Pack Gun DPG 58 2/4/8/16 x8 -1 +2 0.15 3 Disposable
Frag. Cannon FGC 195 1/2/4/8 x7 +1 0 0.75 5 Anti-Inf., Frag Ammo
Heavy Autocannon HAC 220 3/6/12/24 x12 0 +1 0.68 5 -
Heavy Field Gun HFG 1945 8/16/32/64 x28 0 0 7.78 10 Indirect Fire
Heavy G.L. HGL 529 2/4/8/16 x20 -1 +1 1.63 5 Indirect Fire
Heavy Guided Mortar HGM 632 5/10/20/40 x20 -1 0 12.60 5 Guided, Ind. Fire, Min Range 5
Heavy Machine Gun HMG 59 1/2/4/8 x4 0 +3 0.09 3 Anti-Inf.
Light Autocannon LAC 108 2/4/8/16 x8 0 +2 0.28 4 -
Light Field Gun LFG 915 5/10/20/40 x22 0 0 3.65 8 Indirect Fire
Light G.L. LGL 316 1/2/4/8 x15 -1 +2 0.90 4 Indirect Fire
Light Guided Mortar LGM 304 3/6/12/24 x15 -1 0 6.05 4 Guided, Ind. Fire, Min Range 3
Light Machine Gun LMG 52 1/2/4/8 x3 0 +4 0.05 3 Anti-Inf.
Medium Autocannon MAC 163 3/6/12/24 x10 0 +1 0.51 4 -
Snub Cannon SC 524 1/2/4/8 x28 -1 0 2.10 6 -
Anti-Tank Missile ATM 1956 3/6/12/24 x25 +1 0 39.12 6 Guided, Indirect Fire
Heavy AT Missile HATM 3075 5/10/20/40 x30 +1 0 61.50 9 Guided, Indirect Fire
Heavy Rocket Pack/24 HRP/24 596 3/6/12/24 x20 -1 +3 1.71 5 Indirect Fire
Heavy Rocket Pack/48 HRP/48 623 3/6/12/24 x20 -1 +4 1.71 5 Indirect Fire
Inc. Rocket Pack/10 IRP/10 339 1/2/4/8 x13 -1 +1 1.02 4 Indirect Fire, Slow Burn Incendiary
Inc. Rocket Pack/20 IRP/20 363 1/2/4/8 x13 -1 +2 1.02 4 Indirect Fire, Slow Burn Incendiary
Inc. Rocket Pack/30 IRP/30 390 1/2/4/8 x13 -1 +3 1.02 4 Indirect Fire, Slow Burn Incendiary
Light Rocket Pack/8 LRP/8 194 1/2/4/8 x12 -1 +1 0.58 3 Indirect Fire
Light Rocket Pack/16 LRP/16 209 1/2/4/8 x12 -1 +2 0.58 3 Indirect Fire
Light Rocket Pack/24 LRP/24 226 1/2/4/8 x12 -1 +3 0.58 3 Indirect Fire
Light Rocket Pack/32 LRP/32 245 1/2/4/8 x12 -1 +4 0.58 3 Indirect Fire
Med. Rocket Pack/9 MRP/9 425 2/4/8/16 x18 -1 +1 1.33 4 Indirect Fire
Med. Rocket Pack/18 MRP/18 469 2/4/8/16 x18 -1 +3 1.33 4 Indirect Fire
Med. Rocket Pack/36 MRP/36 494 2/4/8/16 x18 -1 +4 1.33 4 Indirect Fire
Chassis Reinfor. CR Veh. Size 0/0/0/0 +1 Dam. 0 0 n/a n/a Physical Attack Only
Hand Grenade (1) HG 0/0/0/0 x15 -1 0 11 2 Anti-Infantry
Heavy Bazooka HBZK 634 2/4/8/16 x25 0 0 2.53 5 -
Heavy Laser Cannon HLC 623 5/10/20/40 x20 +1 0 2.48 5 -3 Dam. per r.b.
Heavy Particle Acc. HPA 672 3/6/12/24 x15 +1 0 2.68 8 -1 Dam. per r.b., Haywire
Heavy Railgun HRG 3339 10/20/40/80 x35 0 0 13.35 12 -
Light Bazooka LBZK 234 2/4/8/16 x15 0 0 0.93 4 -
Light Laser Cannon LLC 483 5/10/20/40 x16 +1 0 1.93 5 -2 Dam. per r.b.
Light Particle Acc. LPA 270 2/4/8/16 x10 +1 0 1.07 6 -1 Dam. per r.b., Haywire
Light Railgun LRG 603 5/10/20/40 x14 0 +2 1.93 7 -
Medium Bazooka MBZK 409 2/4/8/16 x20 0 0 1.63 4 -
Rapid-Fire Bazooka RFB 278 1/2/4/8 x14 0 +2 0.79 4 -
Sniper Laser Cannon SLC 371 5/10/20/40 x12 +1 0 1.48 4 -1 Dam. per r.b.
Vibroblade VB 16 0/0/0/0 x8 0 0 n/a 3 Physical Attack Only
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MAXIMUM AMMUNITION LOAD TABLE
Weapons Base Increase in Weapons Minimum Size
Minimum Size 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
1 625 2500 10,000 40,000 160,000 640,000
2 80 320 1280 5120 20,480 81,920
3 25 100 400 1600 6400 25,600
4 10 40 160 640 2560 10,240
5 5 20 80 320 1280 5120
6 3 12 48 192 768 3072
7 2 8 32 128 512 2048
8 to 9 1 4 16 64 256 1024
10 to 19 1 3 9 27 81 243
20+ 1 2 4 8 16 32
7.3.6 STEP SIX: SELECT SENSORS
We now equi p the vehi cl e wi th i ts el ectroni c equi pment. Choose
the range (i n km) and the qual i ty of your vehi cl es sensor ar-
ray. A generi c mi l i tary sensor array has a score of 0. Poor or
i ncompl ete sensor systems are rated wi th negati ve val ues
(mi ni mum val ue i s - 5). Hi gh qual i ty sensors have posi ti ve
rati ngs. If your vehi cl e has no sensors, wri te down N/ A i n
both entri es and add the No Sensor Fl aw (see Fl aws, p. 150).
Standard battl efi el d vehi cl es normal l y have sensor ranges of
at l east 2 km. Scout vehi cl es wi l l tend to have l onger- range
sensors. Sensor ranges are rarel y greater than 7 or 8 km
mai nl y because that i s about how far the hori zon i s on an Earth-
si zed pl anet when seen from a Heavy Gear.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP SIX
Kurt wants his vehicle to have average quality sensors, so he writes
down Sensors: 0. He chooses to give his Gear only short range sen-
sors (about 2km) to reduce the costs, so he adds Sensor Range: 2
km beside his previous entry.
7.3.7 STEP SEVEN:
SELECT FIRE CONTROL
Thi s computer handl es al l of the vehi cl es weapon systems.
Choose your vehi cl es fi re control score. A generi c mi l i tary
fi re control mechani sm has a score of 0. Hi gh qual i ty systems
have posi ti ve val ues whi l e anci ent or l ow grade systems have
negati ve scores (mi ni mum val ue of - 5 a si mpl e metal si ght).
If your vehi cl e has no weapons, wri te down - 5 i n the Fi re
Control entry.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP SEVEN
Kurt assigns his Gear an adequate but otherwise unremarkable mass-
produced fire control system. He writes down Fire Control: 0.
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CHAPTER- 07
125
7.3.8 STEP EIGHT: SELECT COMMUNICATIONS
Choose the range (i n km) and qual i ty of your vehi cl es com-
muni cati ons array. A generi c mi l i tary communi cati ons sys-
tem has a score of 0. Poor systems are rated wi th negati ve
val ues (mi ni mum i s - 5). Hi gh qual i ty systems have posi ti ve
rati ngs. If your vehi cl e has no communi cati on system, wri te
down N/ A i n both entri es.
Communi cati on systems normal l y have a range of at l east 10
km. Note that a communi cati on system can al so serve as an
entertai nment system and pl ay back standard data di sks.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP EIGHT
Kurt wants his Gear to have a servicable military communication sys-
tem. 10 km seems like a good range for his comm system. He writes
down Communications: 0, Communications Range: 10 km.
7.3.9 STEP NINE:
SELECT DEPLOYMENT RANGE
Choose the Depl oyment Range (i n km) of your vehi cl e. Thi s i s
the maxi mum di stance i t can cover wi thout refuel i ng or mai n-
tenance. Thi s stat has no real purpose i n Tacti cal Combat, but
i s extremel y i mportant i n the RPG. It can al so be used to es-
tabl i sh scenari os.
Hi gh performance machi nes wi l l onl y be abl e to cover smal l
di stances before refuel i ng or servi ci ng. Others wi l l have l arge
fuel tanks and/ or rugged systems that al l ows them to travel
further. It real l y depends on the i ndi vi dual machi ne, so no
standard val ue i s gi ven. Remember that the Depl oyment
Range i s factored i nto the total cost.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP NINE
Kurt wants his Gear to have a good operating range for extended op-
erations. He thinks 500 km is a good range (most modern tanks can
cover between 300 to 600 km) so he writes down Deployment Range:
500 km.
7.3.10 STEP TEN: SELECT PERKS AND FLAWS
Look over the Perks and Fl aws l i st. Sel ect the ones you want
your vehi cl e to have. Remember that numerous Perks can make
a vehi cl e very compl ex, i ncreasi ng the odds that defects wi l l
occur. A compl ete and detai l ed expl anati on of each Perk and
Fl aw i s provi ded i n Perks (p. 144) and Fl aws (p. 150).
The mi ni mum cost of the combi ned Perks and Fl aws of a ve-
hi cl e i s 0. If the total cost i s negati ve, consi der i t as bei ng
equal to zero.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP TEN
Kurt ponders what Perks and Flaws his Gear will have. First, as a fully
humanoid Heavy Gear, the vehicle should have arms. Kurt selects two
Rating 6 Manipulator Arms, so the Gear will have hands for fine ma-
nipulation. He notices that these arms often have optional reinforce-
ment to allow punching. Since the Gears high maneuverability and
good speed make it an excellent close combat vehicle, he keeps this
option in mind.
Since most of Terra Nova is covered with deserts, it seems sensible to
make the Gear sand-proof with Hostile Environment Protection: Desert.
This will add filters and dust covers to all vital mechanisms. As a final
touch, the Easy to Modify Perk is added to represent the simple, no-
nonsense design of the machine, useful for a front-line combatant.
Kurt looks over the Flaws list in an attempt to lower costs, but since he
intends to use his new Gear as a major building block of his army, he
plays it safe and foregoes the Flaws entirely.
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126
FLAWS QUICK REFERENCE TABLE
Name Cost
Annoyance -0.2 per Annoyance
Defective Active Sensors R -rating
Defective Fire Control R -rating x 2
Exposed Auxiliary Systems -5
Exposed Crew Compartment -5
Exposed Fire Control Systems -4
Exposed Movement System -5
Extreme Overheating -10
Fragile Chassis -5
Hazardous Ammo/Fuel Storage -5
Highly Flammable -7
PERK NOTE:
Perks with the desig-
nation AUX are defined
as auxi l i ary systems
for damage purposes.
Perks with the desig-
nation R have a rating.
Thi s rati ng i s l i sted
next to the Perk on the
data sheet.
Name Cost
Extreme Cold 3
High Pressure 4 (High Pressure) or 10 (Extreme Pressure)
Underwater 2
Improved Off-Road Ability 6
Improved Rear Defence 10
J ump J ets AUX R maximum jumping distance in hexes x size
Laboratories R 10 +10 x rating (per lab)
Life Support AUX 2 (limited) or 5 (full)
Loudspeakers AUX 1 (or 2 for really powerful speakers)
Manipulator Arm R 0.5 x Rating for each arm
Micro-Labs 5 (per micro-lab)
Mining Equipement AUX 5 (light duty) or 20 (heavy duty)
Passenger Accommodations 10 +number of passengers (military)
or 30 +number of passengers x 3 (luxury)
Passenger Seating (3 +number of passengers)
Reinforced Armor R rating (per arc of attack)
Reinforced Chassis 6
Reinforced Crew Compartment 4
Reinforced Location Armor R 0.5 x rating, rounded up
Rugged Movement Systems 5
Satellite Uplink AUX 10
Shielded Weapons 5
Searchlight AUX 1 per 50m range
Sick Bay maximum number of patients x 2
Sniper Systems 5 per weapon linked to the system
Stealth AUX R rating x 3
Target Designator AUX 5 +base range in hexes
Tool Arm R 0.3 x Rating for each arm
Vehicle Bay AUX Bay's Size x 5
Weapon Link 1 per weapon in the link (per link)
Wide Angle Searchlight AUX 2 per 50m range
PERKS QUICK REFERENCE TABLE
Name Cost
Advanced Controls 10
Airdroppable 4
Ammo/Fuel Containment System 4
Amphibious 5
Aquatic Sensors AUX 2 (if only aquatic sensors)
or 2 +1/2 of range in km of sensor
(if normal +aquatic)
Artificial Intelligence R 25 +25 x rating
Audio System AUX 0.5
Automation R 10 +rating
Autopilot AUX 5
Backup Communications System 4
Backup Fire Control 5
Backup Life Support 2
Backup Sensors 5
Battle Arm R 0.2 x Rating for each arm
Cargo Bay square root (volume in cubic meters)
Crew Accommodations 10 +number of crewmembers (military)
or 20 +number of crewmembers x 2 (luxury)
Easy to Modify 10
Ejection System AUX 1 +(number of bonus actions due to crew)
ECM AUX R rating x 2
ECCM AUX R rating x 2
Emergency Medical 0.1 x number of crew and passengers
Fire Resistant 8
Geological Sensor AUX 4
Haywire Resistant 10
HEAT-Resistant Armor R rating
High Towing Capability 5 (double) or 15 (triple)
Hostile Environment Protection
Desert 1
Extreme Heat 4
Name Cost
Inefficient Controls -9
Large Sensor Profile R -rating x 2
No Sensors -6
Overheating -5
Poor Off-Road Ability -1
Poor Towing Capability -4
Random Shutdown R -0.5 x Rating
Sensor Dependent -6
Vulnerable to Haywire Effects -9
Weak Facing -(0.25 x base armor rating) (per defensive arc)
Weak Point R 0.5 x Rating, rounded down
FLAWNOTE:
Flaws with the desig-
nation R have a rating.
Thi s rati ng i s l i sted
next to the Flaw on the
data sheet.
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127
7.3.11 STEP ELEVEN: CALCULATE THREAT VALUE
Cal cul ati ng the Threat Val ue of a vehi cl e i s a rather l engthy
process i nvol vi ng numerous steps. Fi rst, you must cal cul ate
the separate Offensi ve Score, Defensi ve Score and Mi scel l a-
neous Score val ues of the vehi cl e (Step 11a, 11b and 11c
bel ow). If any of these scores i s l ess than one, the score be-
comes one (1).
These three scores are combi ned together usi ng the fol l owi ng
formul a to determi ne the vehi cl es total Threat Val ue. Thi s al -
l ows the pl ayer to change some equi pment or val ues wi thout
havi ng to recal cul ate the whol e vehi cl e. Round the scores and
the fi nal Threat Val ue off to the nearest whol e number.
THREAT VALUE =
(Offensive Score + Defensive Score + Misc Score) 3
A NOTE ON THREAT VALUE
The system of Threat Values enables the players to establish scenarios
without the help of a Gamemaster. However, it is not the ultimate,
perfect system (such a system may, alas, never exist). This is why a
vehicles Threat Value is further broken down into Offensive, Defen-
sive and Miscellaneous Values. These three sub-values point out
the strength and weaknesses of each vehicle design, making it much
easier to balance out scenarios according to the mission at hand.
St ep El even- A: Cal c ul at e Of f ensi ve Sc or e
Look up the weapon rati ngs for al l your vehi cl es weapons. If the vehi -
cl e has arms that can punch, square one- hal f of the punchs damage
mul ti pl i er (the arm' s si ze) to cal cul ate the weapon rati ng of each punch-
i ng arm (see bel ow).
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If a weapon has either a Fixed Forward (FF) arc or is turret mounted (T
arc), its weapon rating is altered. Weapons with FF arcs have a x0.6
multiplier applied to their Weapon Threat Rating while weapons with T
arcs have a x1.8 multiplier applied to their Rating (this includes the
cost of the turret, so no additional cost is applied).
WEAPONS WITH FF ARC =
Weapon Threat Rating x 0. 6
WEAPONS WITH T ARC =
Weapon Threat Rating x 1. 8
PUNCH RATING =
(damage multiplier of arm x 0. 5)
2
OFFENSIVE MULTIPLIER =
Total Weapon Rating of All Weapons +
Punch Rating for each arm (if applicable) + Ammo
OFFENSIVE SCORE =
Targeting System Multiplier* x Offensive Multiplier
* Do NOT use the actual targeti ng system val ue. Instead, l ook up the
targeti ng system val ue on the Targeti ng Mul ti pl i er Systems tabl e and
use the mul ti pl i er gi ven by the tabl e.
TARGETING SYSTEM MULTIPLIER
Fire Control Score Multiplier
+5 x700
+4 x120
+3 x24
+2 x6
+1 x2
0 x1
-1 x0.5
-2 x0.333
-3 x0.25
-4 x0.2
-5 x0.167
Vehicles with high Offensive Threat Values are especially good at dish-
ing out damage. On open terrain and in face-to-face confrontations,
they are very likely to come out on top.
St ep El even- B: Cal c ul at e Def ensi ve Sc or e
Use the fol l owi ng formul a to cal cul ate your vehi cl es Defensi ve Score.
The Defensi ve Score i ncl udes anythi ng that mi ght hel p the vehi cl e
survi ve on the battl efi el d, such as speed, maneuverabi l i ty and armor.
DEFENSIVE MULTIPLIER =
(Armor Rating)
2
+ (fastest movement speed in kph
25)
3
+ (sum of speeds of all other movement modes in
kph 6)
2
DEFENSIVE SCORE =
Maneuver Multiplier* x Defensive Multiplier
Vehi cl es whose only movement mode i s Ground di vi de the speed
by 40 i nstead of 25.
* Do NOT use the actual maneuver val ue. Instead, l ook up the maneuver
val ue on the Maneuver Mul ti pl i er tabl e (next page) and use the mul ti -
pl i er gi ven by the tabl e.
Vehi cl es wi th hi gh Defensi ve Threat Val ues are especi al l y good at
avoi di ng damage or survi vi ng i t. Thei r strong poi nt i s defendi ng ob-
j ecti ves and escapi ng enemy forces.
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128
MANEUVER MULTIPLIER
Maneuver Score Multiplier
+10 5500000
+9 550000
+8 60000
+7 7500
+6 1000
+5 180
+4 36
+3 9
+2 3
+1 1.5
0 1
-1 0.667
-2 0.5
-3 0.4
-4 0.333
-5 0.286
-6 0.25
-7 0.222
-8 0.2
-9 0.182
-10 0.167
St ep El even- C: Cal c ul at e Mi sc el l aneous Sc or e
Use the formul a l i sted i n next col umn to cal cul ate your vehi cl es Mi s-
cel l aneous Score. The Perk/ Fl aw Poi nt Total referred to i n the formul a
i s the total cost of al l of the vehi cl es Perks and Fl aws. Remember that
the mi ni mum cost of Perks and Fl aws i s zero.
7.3.12 STEP TWELVE:
CALCULATE DEFAULT SIZE AND COST
The Defaul t Si ze score of a vehi cl e i s cal cul ated usi ng the fol -
l owi ng formul a. Round the Defaul t Si ze to the nearest whol e
number.
DEFAULT SIZE =
(Final Threat Value)
The armor rati ng of a vehi cl e pl aces certai n constrai nts upon
i ts mi ni mum Defaul t Si ze. If the Defaul t Si ze i s cal cul ated at
l ess than one- fi fth of the Armor Rati ng, rai se the Defaul t Si ze
to one- fi fth (round up) of the Armor Rati ng.
If the Defaul t Si ze of your vehi cl e i s more than ten ti mes i ts
Armor Rati ng, you grossl y underesti mated the toughness of
your vehi cl e and i ts structure i s too fl i msy to stay together.
You must go back to Step Four, i ncrease the vehi cl es Armor
Rati ng, and recal cul ate the vehi cl es Threat Rati ng and Si ze
MISCELLANEOUS SCORE =
(Total Actions granted by Crew)
3
+ (Communication Range in km 10)
3
+ (Sensor Range in km 2)
3
+ (Deployment Range in km 50)
2
+ (Sensor Score + Communications Score + Total Perk/
Flaw cost)
2

The mi ni mum val ue for the sum of Sensor Score + Communi ca-
ti ons Score + Total Perk/ Fl aw i s 0. If the total i s l ess than zero, then
use zero i nstead.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP ELEVEN
Kurt pulls out his trusty calculator and starts to work out his Gears
Offensive Score. He adds the weapon ratings of each of his Gears
weapons: 108 (for the Light Autocannon) +226 (for the LRP/24) +(29
x 0.6) (for the fixed AP Grenade Launcher) +vibroknife (16 points) =
367.4. He decides to add the punching option to both arms, at a cost
of (6 x 0.5)
2
=9 points, 60 shots for the autocannon (16.8 points), 24
rockets (13.9), 6 shots for the APGL (0.6 points), and 3 grenades (11
points each), bringing his Offensive score to 449.7. Since his Target-
ing System Multiplier is 1, his final Offensive score is 449.7.
He moves on to his Gears Defensive Score. He enters his Gears num-
bers in the Defense Multiplier formula. His calculations look like this:
15
2
+(72/25)
3
+(42/6)
2
=297.9. Since his Maneuver Multiplier is 1,
his final Defensive Score is 297.9.
Kurt now starts calculating his Miscellaneous Score. He begins by
calculating his total Perk/Flaw cost. He adds 3 +3 (both arms) +1
(Desert) +10 (Easy to Modify) =17. Kurt then uses this number to
help him calculate his Miscellaneous score as follows: 1
3
+(10/10)
3
+
(2/2)
3
+(500/50)
2
+(0+0+17)
2
=392.
To find his vehicles final Threat Value, he takes the average of the
three numbers. His calculations look like this: (449.7+297.9+392)/3 =
379.86. The Threat Value of his Gear is 380.
(Steps El even and Twel ve).
The Defaul t Cost i n Mark/ Di nar (see Equi pment, page 75) i s
equal to the fi nal Threat Val ue ti mes 1000. The fi nal cost wi l l
be cal cul ated i n the appropri ate monetary uni t accordi ng to
the vehi cl e' s poi nt of ori gi n.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP TWELVE
The Default Size of Kurts vehicle is equal to the cube root of 380, or
7.24, rounded down to 7. This is well above its minimum of (15/5) =3
(one-fifth of its base armor rating).
The Default Cost of his Gear is 380,000 Marks/Dinars.
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CHAPTER- 07
129
7.3.13 STEP THIRTEEN: SELECT ACTUAL SIZE
AND PRE- PRODUCTION COST
Your vehi cl e does not have to be the si ze generated by your
cal cul ati ons. It may be as l arge as twi ce the Defaul t Si ze score
or as smal l as one- fi fth the Defaul t Si ze score. There i s no
Threat cost i nvol ved i n changi ng si zes wi thi n these l i mi ts be-
cause the advantages and di sadvantages tend to cancel each
other out. For exampl e, a smal l er vehi cl e wi l l be easi er to carry
around, but a l arger one wi l l be cheaper to desi gn (more room
to work wi th!) and cause more damage i n physi cal attacks.
If the Si ze of your vehi cl e i s greater than twi ce i ts Armor Rat-
i ng, you must reduce the vehi cl es Si ze so that i t i s no greater
than twi ce the vehi cl es Armor Rati ng.
A vehi cl e must have at l east one crew member per ten Si ze
poi nts or fracti on thereof. The Automati on and Arti fi ci al Intel -
l i gence Perks can al so be used to substi tute for l i vi ng crew
members.
Most Heavy Gears are Si ze 6 or 7, al though they coul d prob-
abl y go as l ow as Si ze 5.
The formul a used to determi ne the maxi mum mass of each
Si ze i s as fol l ows:
MASS (KG) =
((Size + 0. 5) X 3) cubed
Thi s yi el ds the mass i n ki l ograms (si mpl y di vi de by 1000 to
get a resul t i n tons). The fi nal mass i s then rounded up.
The pre- producti on cost of a vehi cl e i s cal cul ated usi ng the
fol l owi ng formul a.
PRE-PRODUCTION COST =
Default Cost x (Default Size Actual Size)
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP THIRTEEN
Kurt looks up Size 7 on the Size to Mass Table in his ever-present
Heavy Gear rulebook and finds that this represents between 7.4 and
10 tons. He imagines his Gear being a little lighter than that (if only to
stuff more of them in the cargo holds of his transports), so he decides
to make it Size 6. Since his Actual Size is lower than his Default Size,
his Pre-Production Cost will be greater than his Default Cost. He mul-
tiplies his Default Cost (380,000) by 7 (Default Size) and divides this
by 6 (Actual Size), arriving at a Pre-Production Cost of 443,333. Mini-
aturization does tend to raise the cost a little.
SIZE TO MASS TABLE
Size Mass in Tons Size Mass in Tons Size Mass in Tons
1 0-0.08 34 1001-1100 67 7901-8300
2 0.09-0.3 35 1101-1210 68 8301-8700
3 0.4-1.1 36 1201-1300 69 8701-9100
4 1.2-2.4 37 1301-1400 70 9101-9500
5 2.5-4.4 38 1401-1500 71 9501-9900
6 4.5-7.4 39 1501-1700 72 9901-10300
7 7.5-10 40 1701-1800 73 10301-10700
8 11-16 41 1801-1900 74 10701-11200
9 17-22 42 1901-2100 75 11201-11600
10 23-30 43 2101-2200 76 11601-12100
11 31-40 44 2201-2400 77 12101-12600
12 41-52 45 2401-2500 78 12601-13100
13 53-65 46 2501-2700 79 13101-13600
14 66-81 47 2701-2900 80 13601-14100
15 82-100 48 2901-3100 81 14101-14600
16 101-120 49 3101-3300 82 14601-15200
17 121-145 50 3301-3500 83 15201-15700
18 146-170 51 3501-3700 84 15701-16300
19 171-200 52 3701-3900 85 16301-16900
20 201-230 53 3901-4100 86 16901-17500
21 231-270 54 4101-4400 87 17501-18100
22 271-310 55 4401-4600 88 18101-18700
23 311-350 56 4601-4900 89 18701-19400
24 351-400 57 4901-5100 90 19401-20000
25 401-450 58 5101-5400 91 20001-20700
26 451-500 59 5401-5700 92 20701-21400
27 501-560 60 5701-6000 93 21401-22100
28 561-630 61 6001-6300 94 22101-22800
29 631-690 62 6301-6600 95 22801-23500
30 691-770 63 6601-6900 96 23501-24100
31 771-840 64 6901-7200 97 24101-25000
32 841-930 65 7201-7600 98 25001-25800
33 931-1000 66 7601-7900 99 25801-26600
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model di ce are rol l ed and the defects common to al l vehi cl es
of thi s model are determi ned. In addi ti on, each i ndi vi dual ve-
hi cl e gets a set number of l emon di ce. Wri te down thi s i ndi -
vi dual l emon di ce number i n your vehi cl e descri pti on. When-
ever a vehi cl e of thi s type i s i ntroduced i nto a game or cam-
pai gn, i ts i ndi vi dual l emon di ce shoul d be rol l ed.
Rol l once on thi s tabl e per defect. If mul ti pl e opti ons are avai l -
abl e, choose one.
LEMON DEFECT TABLE
Die Roll Defect
1 Structural Weakness
(-1 maneuvering or -10% to armor, rounding up)
2 Electronic Glitch
(-1 targeting or -1 sensors or -1 communications)
3 Movement System Defect
(-1 maneuver or -10% speed (min 1 MP))
4 Vehicle has one Annoyance Flaw
5 Vehicle has one Flaw with a cost of between 0 and -2
6 Vehicle has one Flaw with a cost of -2 or worse
Get t i ng Ri d of Def ec t s
The Model Lemon Defects are basi cal l y errors i n ei ther desi gn or
constructi on, and as such cannot be el i mi nated unl ess the vehi cl e i s
total l y redesi gned back at the factory.
Indi vi dual defects are not so bad, however; they si mpl y represent er-
rors made on the assembl y l i ne. Unfortunatel y, repai ri ng these amounts
to taki ng the vehi cl e apart and putti ng i t back together correctl y,
thi s ti me. They are repai red l i ke normal battl e damage (see Repai rs,
page 112), but the repai r ti me i s doubl ed for each defect repai red
(fi xi ng two defects wi l l take four ti mes as l ong as a normal repai r,
etc.), and the di ffi cul ty i s al so doubl ed. A fai l ed repai r rol l means the
vehi cl e i s stuck wi th the defect. A fumbl ed rol l means an automati c
addi ti onal Defect!
Cur sed Opt i on
Opti onal l y, the Annoyance Fl aw can be refused i n favor of choosi ng to
have the Cursed Defect: effecti vel y, the vehi cl e proves Murphys Law
whenever i t i s conveni ent for the Gamemaster. Thi s can be used onl y
i n a rol epl ayi ng or i ntegrated game.
Exampl es: A tank model that gets struck by l i ghtni ng 10 ti mes more
often than other tanks. A steal th submari ne whose hul l , for some un-
known reason, pi cks up and resonates nearby radi o stati ons. A de-
stroyer whi ch i s j ust pl ai n j i nxed ( Its haunted... Yeah, thats i t! ).
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP FOURTEEN
Kurt has already decided that his Gear is a mass production model. He
rolls two dice for his models lemon dice and obtains a 4. All vehi-
cles of this model will have to roll three dice for individual flaws, but
the base model is sound and has no design defects. Kurt sighs with
relief.
7.3.14 STEP FOURTEEN:
SELECT PRODUCTION TYPE AND LEMON ROLLS
Not every vehi cl e i s made qui te the same, even i f they are of
the same make, model , and vari ant. Every once i n a whi l e,
someone screws up and a l emon i s produced. Just how many
mi stakes get made depends on what ki nd of model the vehi cl e
i s.
Choose what stage of producti on your vehi cl e i s i n. Is i t a
prototype whi ch sti l l needs to get al l the ki nks worked out? Is
i t a trusty ol d model that has been i n mass producti on for
years? Is i t a l i mi ted edi ti on model that i s onl y assi gned to
el i te uni ts? Or i s i t a scratch- bui l t vehi cl e that i s bei ng hel d
together wi th bal i ng wi re and prayers? The producti on type
wi l l al so defi ne how much care i s put i nto each uni t bui l t.
Note that thi s tabl e i s desi gned for vehi cl es of Si ze 1 to about
15. Larger vehi cl es, such as the monstrous Landshi ps, rarel y
go past what coul d be consi dered the Earl y Producti on stage
because of thei r extremel y l arge and compl ex constructi on.
The same phenomenon appl i es to spaceshi ps as wel l .
PRODUCTION TYPES
Model Type Definition Model Dice Indiv. Dice
Testbed Prototype New Tech 12 2
Early Prototype New Model 8 1
Late Prototype New Model 4 1
Early Production New Release 3 3
Limited Production High End Model 1 2
Mass Production Common Model 2 3
Scratch-Built Patchwork Mess N/A 10
In addi ti on to the base model l emon di ce, one di e i s added
for every 5 Perks that you assi gned to your vehi cl e.
Rol l the total number of di ce normal l y (i .e. hi ghest number
counts, addi ti onal si xes gi ve +1). For each poi nt over fi ve on
the di ce, a Defect occurs. Fumbl es are di sregarded and are
treated as a rol l of one (1). When a new model i s produced, i ts
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7.3.15 STEP FIFTEEN: CALCULATE FINAL COST
Mul ti pl y the Pre- Producti on Cost of the vehi cl e wi th the Pro-
ducti on Cost Mul ti pl i er to obtai n the Fi nal Cost of the vehi cl e.
Thi s i s the cost for the ful l y l oaded vehi cl e, wi th compl ete
armament, ammuni ti on and fuel .
If you wi sh to know the "empty" cost of the vehi cl e (wi thout
weapons and ammuni ti on), si mpl y remove the weapons and
thei r ammo from the Offensi ve Score cal cul ati ons and recheck
the new Threat Val ue.
VEHICLE FINAL COST
Model Type Production Cost Multiplier
Testbed Prototype x100
Early Prototype x20
Late Prototype x5
Early Production x1
Limited Production x2
Mass Production x0.5
Scratch-Built x0.2
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP FIFTEEN
Since Kurts Gear is a United Mercantile Federation mass production
model, its final cost is 0.5 of the Pre-Production Cost. Half of 443,333
is 221,667, so the final cost of each battle-ready Gear of this model is
221,667 Marks.
Without its weapon complement and ammunition, Kurt's Gear sells
for a mere 118,000 Marks. A bit useless, but cheap!
7.3.16 STEP SIXTEEN:
NAME THE DESIGN
Chri sten your new creati on. Try to choose a name that i s evoca-
ti ve and that wi l l pl ease you. Most Northern l eagues name
thei r Gears after great mammal s of Earth, mostl y l arge cats
and ot her wi l d ani mal s. The Sout her ner s pr ef er mor e
Terranovan ani mal s such as repti l es to name thei r Gears after.
Opti onal l y, wri te down the vehi cl e' s hi story and descri pti on.
Why was i t commi ssi oned? By whom? Who was part of the
ori gi nal desi gn team? Were there any unforeseen di ffi cul ti es
or di d the devel opment proceed smoothl y? How l ong has the
vehi cl e been i n servi ce, and how many were bui l t? Once these
questi ons are answered, you wi l l have a wel l - defi ned, i nter-
esti ng vehi cl e to add to your forces.
You are now ready to take your new vehi cl e onto the battl e-
fi el d.
DESIGN EXAMPLE: STEP SIXTEEN
Kurt now has to name his Heavy Gear. After pondering the name
Ranger for a while, he decides to call it the Hunter.
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